Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Partnerships topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Romulus partnerships coordinator highlights speaker series, internships and low after‑school club turnout
Summary
The district reported new external partnerships, a launched speaker series and internship placements but said student after‑school participation was low and recommended moving some programs into the school day and aligning internships with CTE classes.
Romulus Community Schools’ partnerships coordinator told the board on June 23 that a newly launched speaker series and multiple community partnerships produced career exposure and donations, but that after‑school participation for some student programs was lower than expected.
Karina Coleman, partnerships coordinator, reviewed the 2024–25 year and said the Inspire and Ignite speaker series brought five campus speakers this school year and led to follow‑up opportunities including a planned GM plant visit and a technology donation discussion. She said partnerships also produced job‑shadowing and internship opportunities at Delta and the Detroit Metro Airport and helped a student secure a Detroit Zoo internship.
Coleman said the Pretty Brown Girls empowerment club launched at Romulus High School but attendance averaged about five students per meeting despite 15 signups; she cited work and family obligations and recommended exploring a school‑day advisory slot or starting recruitment earlier in the fall. On internships, Coleman said many students need more soft‑skill coaching and recommended shifting some placements to job‑shadowing and career exposure trips with staff accompaniment, and better alignment with Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes.
Coleman proposed a set of 10 community engagement events for 2025–26 tied to the district strategic plan, including a college and career fair with interview coaching, expanded speaker visits at the middle and high schools, and leveraging signature programs (Eagle’s Nest restaurant, esports) for community participation. She also recommended a broad student interest survey at the start of next year to center student voice in programming choices.
Board members and staff discussed low after‑school participation and noted district staffing and scheduling conflicts (testing, field trips, protected instructional time) that made scheduling speakers difficult. Trustee comments emphasized that many students lack confidence in interviews and soft skills; one trustee urged consistency across classrooms for teaching those skills.
No formal board action was taken on program changes at the meeting; Coleman requested time and board support to redesign the internship model and to plan community events for the coming year.
